Chapter 66: The True War - Fierce Battle
Chapter 66: The True War - Fierce Battle
When Liam arrived at the Wall-Nut, he found that the Zombies' vanguard was less than 50 meters away. The robots crouched down, preparing to launch the Plants' attacks. Liam also took out his wand, ready to cast spells.
In the tradition of Viking Wizards, the best tool for casting spells was not a wand, but cold weapons like a Battle Axe, Spear, or Sword, embedded with Runes and inscribed with Magic Arrays using Arcane Metal.
Unfortunately, Liam didn't have any of those. He had to make do with his wand. Compared to specialized weapons, a wand lacked the melee capabilities and the significant amplification effect on combat spells. However, it was cheaper and more versatile.
For example, if casting the same combat spell, a magical weapon could be twice as effective as a wand. However, such a weapon would cost three to five times more than a wand and would need to be custom-made. Most importantly, it could only be used for combat, not for brewing potions or cleaning the house.
Even when casting Transfiguration, a spell not purely for combat, a wand was more effective. Liam thought this might be why magical weapons eventually fell out of use. After all, life wasn't just about fighting.
Soon, the Zombies entered range, and the human robots began to unleash a barrage of fire. Liam also waved his wand, casting spells.
He started with some basic spells. Unfortunately, the Stunning Spell had little effect on the undead, merely pushing them back a bit. They would stand up and continue advancing after a few seconds. The Binding Spell was useful but was overwhelmed by the sheer number of Zombies. It was only effective against individual targets.
Other spells were largely useless. The Fragmentation Spell and Disintegration Spell only worked on Zombies that were already down and destroyed. Using the Fire Charm on Zombies only made them burn slowly, and the flaming Zombies caused even more trouble for the humans.
Finally, Liam began using his newly acquired Ancient Viking Life Magic to combat the Zombies. He raised his wand, traced a semicircle, and uttered the incantation in ancient Viking: "Purge of the Unclean."
A pale ray shot from the tip of Liam's wand, hitting a Zombie in Football Gear. The thick protective equipment offered no defense, and the Zombie disintegrated into ashes the moment the light struck it, leaving only the Football Gear on the ground.
Seeing how effective this spell was, Liam started targeting the more resilient Football Gear Zombies. During the battle, some spells accidentally hit the Plants. As he had learned from the tradition, these spells were harmless to non-evil beings.
With no risk of friendly fire, Liam's attack frequency increased. This was especially true after his comrades destroyed the Ice Car Zombie that was providing cover at the front. Liam's spells significantly reduced the pressure on his comrades.
Initially, his comrades were reluctant to let Liam, a child, join their team, especially since he didn't control any robots. They thought he was just there to cause trouble. They couldn't refuse Dave's order as the leader, though. Now, after seeing Liam's magical prowess, they began to actively cooperate with him, constantly reporting the positions of special Zombies to guide his attacks.
After several minutes of intense battle, this group of Zombies was completely eradicated. Fortunately, the loss of Wall-Nuts was minimal. Liam and his team took advantage of the lull before the next wave of Zombies arrived to step out of the protective wall and replenish the Potato Mines on the ground.
Behind them, the sound of Cob Cannons firing echoed once more. Dave and his team used their powerful firepower to control the battlefield, buying enough time for frontline fighters like Liam.
The war dragged on for hours, even as night fell, with the Zombies continuing their relentless wave attacks. Liam could only lean against the robots during the brief breaks between Zombie assaults to eat some dry rations and drink water. He and his teammates would take turns catching a few moments of rest.
Liam noticed that the number of attacking Zombies far exceeded the initial reconnaissance estimates. However, the batch of Scout Balloons Dave had released managed to scout many areas under the cover of darkness. Although they were all eventually shot down, they provided valuable reconnaissance data.
The reconnaissance revealed that the Zombies had concentrated their forces from the entire Greenleaf Plains. This meant the Zombie strength was three times what was expected. The good news was that once they were completely eliminated, the entire Greenleaf Plains would be within reach.
This news invigorated everyone on the front lines, especially as the night wore on. Kenvi, taking a significant risk, navigated a boat through the darkness to bring reinforcements of Plants and robots to the battlefield. These tangible reinforcements greatly boosted everyone's morale.
The next morning, the rising sun cast a golden glow over the battlefield. The ground was littered with the dismembered bodies of Zombies.
Liam, with bloodshot eyes, huddled with his teammates around the heat vents of a robot, sipping the freshly warmed coffee. Since four in the morning, the Zombies had been attacking every half-hour, but the assaults had suddenly stopped. Only a few Imp Zombies were tossed in to cause minor disruptions, significantly reducing the overall pressure. However, Liam and his teammates remained on high alert, sensing that this was the calm before the storm, and the final battle could erupt at any moment.
Just as they finished their cold sandwiches with the hot coffee, a massive scream erupted from the opposing Zombie horde. Greenish bodies surged forward like a tidal wave. Liam saw a mix of various Zombies charging towards them in a frenzied assault. It was clear that the Zombies had chosen a final, all-out rush, hoping to overwhelm the exhausted humans with a concentrated burst of attacks.
Dozens of Cob Cannons on the elevated platforms opened fire first. The whizzing sounds of projectiles in the air and the explosions on impact followed one after another. Amidst the thunderous barrage, massive corn cobs rained down on the Zombie horde, causing chaos, especially as the towering Giant Zombies fell one by one, significantly reducing the frontline pressure.
Next, the various Shooter Plants launched their attacks. Watermelons, Frost Watermelons, Cabbagekernels, and Butter flew through the air, peeling away layers of Zombies like an onion.
But the Zombies behind continued their relentless charge, stepping over the bodies of their fallen comrades to surge towards the human defenses.
Liam stood on a robot, his expression stern as he watched the approaching horde. He gripped his wand tightly, ready to face the final battle.
(End of Chapter)
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